Sept. 1, 2015 (Olney, MD) - MedStar Montgomery Medical Center, part of MedStar Health, has announced that it is the first hospital in the region offering recently FDA-approved, VBLOC vagal blocking therapy for obesity.

“VBLOC therapy is delivered via the Maestro® System, a pacemaker-like device that blocks signals to the vagus nerve, which controls hunger. VBLOC therapy allows people to safely lose weight by helping them feel less hungry, consume less food during meals, and feel full longer in between meals,” explains John Brebbia, MD, director of the Bariatric Surgery Program at MedStar Montgomery Medical Center. “We are truly excited about the opportunity to offer our patients this high-tech alternative weight loss option with its many clinical, safety, and lifestyle advantages.”

How the Device Works to Create Weight Loss

VBLOC therapy has been developed to target the effects of the vagus nerve by blocking communication signals transmitted between the stomach and the brain. The device, implanted laparoscopically just beneath the skin during an outpatient procedure, sends minute electrical pulses that block the hunger messages.

VBLOC therapy does not alter a person’s digestive anatomy. The body continues to process food exactly as it did before, meaning no restrictive diets, no physical reactions to food and no life-long nutritional supplement regimens. It is also reversible. It can easily be deactivated or removed at any time.

VBLOC therapy is indicated for use in weight reduction in patients ages 18 and older who have tried at least one supervised weight management program within the past five years and have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 to 45 kg/m2, or a BMI of 35 to 39.9 kg/m2 with one or more obesity related co-morbid conditions (such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes or sleep apnea).

Patients seeking more information are invited to contact our Bariatric Coordinator, Kenny Alexander, RN, at 301-570-8593 or go to MedStarMontgomery.org/Vbloc

MedStar Montgomery Medical Center is 138 bed not-for-profit hospital serving the greater Baltimore and Washington metropolitan areas. As a proud member of MedStar Health, MedStar Montgomery Medical Center is committed to delivering the latest in modern medicine and medical technology. For more information about the hospital, contact Gina Cook, marketing and communications manager, at 301-774-8774 or [email protected]

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